Darkening of the nail plate, its thickening, delamination, and deformation can be a sign of the development of nail fungus (onychomycosis). Many patients confuse an infected lesions or psoriasis. To avoid the worsening of the disease, you need to know how to identify the fungus in the nails of the feet, its types and their symptoms.
The type of nail fungus
Most often, a fungal infection extends not only to the nails and affects around the nail area. Also suffers from the skin of the foot and interdigital folds such as the hands and the feet (athlete's foot). Among the most common pathogens that cause changes negative can be distinguished:
- the yeast – hit the nail, making it thinner, which leads to the delamination of the plate from the bed;
- dermatophytes – penetrating into the stratum corneum, inducing the appearance of bands of yellow stains or white in color, which will eventually increase;
- mold penetrates the upper layers of the plate and changes its color to green, grey or black.
When the infection affects the nails, in the initial stage they are already showing changes on the basis of which we can distinguish 3 main types of fungi.
- Distal onychomycosis. Defeat starts from the edge of the stratum corneum, and then the infection happens at the base plate. The nail becomes greyish, thickens or thins, orange and, finally, almost completely destroyed.
- Proximal fungal. It extends from the center of the plate, causing the darkening and destruction.
- Superficial onychomycosis. Accompanied by the appearance of white spots in the center of the nail, or at its edges. At the beginning of the disease, plaque has no deformations, but the touch notable dispersion that eventually leads to a change of the bed and loss of the nail.
The first signs and symptoms of nail fungus
The development of the fungus does not hide the flows. A few days after the infection the first signs and symptoms that will eventually become brighter.
- The growing nails dull, loses its brightness, change the pattern of the plates appear yellow or white spots, stripes longitudinal.
- Changing the shape of the nail, is its deformation, which is accompanied by a thickening or thinning of the stratum corneum. This condition leads to the delamination, wear plate, and to separate it from the bed.
- Feel pain when you press. The stratum corneum and the surrounding tissue become inflamed.
- Diaper rash between the toes, and the smell of the affected nail.
These signs and symptoms help to identify a nail fungus in its early stages and to distinguish it from other pathologies (wounds, psoriasis, eczema, lichen).
Methods of diagnosis
The procedure of detection of onychomycosis or the fungal infection usually goes through several stages, which include specific methods: the clinical picture, microscopy.
Initially, the expert drew attention to the symptoms and complaints of the patient, collection of clinical data. After inspection of the plate of the nail and the skin around them with a physician prior to identification of the infection, while excluding similar diseases (psoriasis, red roof tiles, problems with the normal diet of the nail).
For the confirmation of the disease, the specialist makes the material to carry out microscopic examination. The affected area has a scraping of tissue in laboratory conditions, is treated with a substance that's special.
To more accurately diagnose fungal property helps in the study of biological material. The analysis is carried out after the microscopy. The seeding is done scraping. A sample of the affected tissue is located in one of the nutrients for the fungus environment. After 3-5 days you can receive the result of the procedure. The type of fungus gets to learn the structure of the colonies, their peculiar growth, and of specific color.
Thanks to the biological research, to determine with precision the type of the virus and its sensitivity to specific antimicrobials. It allows not only to identify exactly the pathogen, but also to select an effective treatment.
How to identify nail fungus at home?
Darkening of the nail plate, its porosity and the depletion does not always indicate onychomycosis. To know if a yeast infection you can use the iodine and potassium permanganate.
Define onychomycosis of potassium permanganate
The procedure for the identification of the fungus has little time and is easy to implement. In a bucket of hot water to dissolve some manganese to make a weak solution. Put liquid hand or foot, wait for about 5-10 minutes. During this time, the health of the nails will be painted a brown color, the affected areas will remain unchanged.
Identification of fungus in the nails with iodine
Unlike manganese, the iodine may not indicate the presence of pathogens of onychomycosis. Helps to exclude other fungi, especially tinea versicolor. If the skin around the nails appeared peeling, redness, if these areas are to be treated with iodine. Healthy skin is almost dark under the alcoholic solution, but depriving the affected places will be a rich, dark color.
How to distinguish a fungal infection of the nails of other diseases?
In the early stages of development of fungal infection can be confused with skin diseases (psoriasis, shingles) or trauma of the nail. To not run negative manifestations, it is important to know the main differences of the fungal growth.
- Darkening of the plate of the nail, the appearance of yellow spots and longitudinal stripes, which in the long run become larger and penetrate deeper into the nail.
- The smooth progression of the disease without exacerbations and calm, as is the case of psoriasis. The fungus gradually deforms the nail plate until its separation from the bed.
- Smells and sensations, also distinguishes a fungus from lesions or psoriatic lesions, eczema, lichen.
- Causes of fungus can be the access to the common areas (pool, sauna), wearing tight shoes (microtrauma and fading), increased sweating of the feet, diaper rash, and contact with an infected person.
- The fungus initially appears in a particular finger, often large, then it affects the rest of the phalanges and interdigital areas.
These differences help in the identification of fungi in the early stages of their development. The most important thing is to understand that self-diagnosis is not enough. For an effective treatment you need examination by a specialist.
Mycosis – a nasty and insidious disease that can masquerade as other pathologies (psoriasis, eczema). It is important to follow closely the nails and the feet, and when suspicious symptoms in time to see a doctor for timely treatment.